Garmin Dash Cams: Mini vs. Tandem vs. 66W

Garmin has three similar automotive dash cameras with the Mini, Tandem and 66W. You can check out this comparison guide to see what the main differences are between these car dashboard cameras.

Quick Summary

When compared to the Mini and Tandem models, the Garmin Dash Cam 66W is the only one to come with a built-in rechargeable battery and LCD screen. The 66W is also the only one of the three to support 60 frames per second as well as provide driver assistance features such as forward collision warnings, lane departure warnings and traffic alerts.

On the other hand, the Garmin Dash Cam Tandem is the only model of the group to come with an internal camera, which is also capable of night vision recording. It is also the only one of the three to include a microSD card packed in.

The only major advantage the Mini model has over the Tandem and 66W models is that it is a lot more affordable.

If you are interested, you can purchase any of the three aforementioned automotive dashboard cameras on Amazon with the following links:

• Garmin Dash Cam Mini
• Garmin Dash Cam Tandem
• Garmin Dash Cam 66W

Mini vs. Tandem vs. 66W Comparison Chart

You can take a look at Seeking Tech’s comparison table for the Mini, Tandem and 66W models below.

What’s in the Box

When it comes to content included inside the box, the Tandem is the only model to come with a 16 GB microSD card.

All three products come with a mount, documentation as well as all the necessary cables.

You can find a breakdown of the content inside each of the packaging below:

Garmin Dash Cam Mini:

• Garmin Dash Cam Mini
• Low profile adhesive mount
• Vehicle power cables
• Dual USB power adapter
• Documentation

Garmin Dash Cam Tandem:

• Garmin Dash Cam Tandem
• 16 GB microSD card
• Low-profile magnetic mount
• 4 m power cable
• 1.5 m USB cable
• Dual USB power adapter
• Documentation

Garmin Dash Cam 66W:

• Garmin Dash Cam 66W
• Low profile magnetic mount
• Vehicle power cables
• Dual USB power adapter
• Documentation

Physical Dimensions

You can take a look at the dimensions, which is displayed as Width x Height x Depth, for all three dash cameras below:

• Dash Cam Mini: 1.2″ x 2.1″ x 1.2″ (or 3.10 cm x 5.30 cm x 2.90 cm)
• Dash Cam Tandem: 2.2″ x 1.6″ x 0.9″ (or 5.50 cm x 4.10 cm x 2.35 cm)
• Dash Cam 66W: 2.2″ x 1.6″ x 0.8″ (or 5.60 cmx 4.00 cm x 2.10 cm)

Weight

You can also check out the weight specifications below:

• Dash Cam Mini: 1.0 oz (or 28.7 g)
• Dash Cam Tandem: 2.3 oz (or 65.4 g)
• Dash Cam 66W: 2.2 oz (or 61.3 g)

Power Source

The Mini and Tandem models use a supercapacitor that needs to be plugged into a power source in your car.

The 66W model uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

Battery Life

The internal battery of the Dash Cam 66W has a battery life of only up to 30 minutes. So, you may be better off keeping it plug into a power source in your car.

Display Features

The 66W is also the only Garmin Dash Camera in this versus showdown to come with an LCD display.

You can look at the display specs below:

• Display Type: QVGA color TFT LCD
• Display Size: 2.0″ (or 5.1 cm) diagonal
• Display Resolution: 320 pixels x 240 pixels

Supported microSD Cards

All three of these Garmin Dash Cams support the same microSD specifications, which you can find below:

• Type: microSDHC or microSDXC
• Capacity: 8 GB to 512 GB
• Speed Class: Class 10 or higher
• File System: FAT32

Sensors

The Dash Cam Mini does not support any sensors.

Both the Dash Cam Tandem and Dash Cam 66W are equipped with the GPS and Galileo sensors.

Camera Resolution

The Tandem is the only model to feature a front and interior camera.

The front cameras of the Tandem and 66W can capture at a higher resolution, which results in a sharper video with more details, when compared to Mini.

You can find the camera resolutions specs below:

Dash Cam Mini:

• Front Camera: 1080p

Dash Cam Tandem:

• Front Camera: 1440p
• Interior Camera: 720p

Dash Cam 66W:

• Front Camera: 1440p

Diagonal Field of View

The Tandem and 66W model also have a wider diagonal field of view when compared to the Mini:

Dash Cam Mini

• Front Camera: 140 degrees

Dash Cam Tandem:

• Front Camera: 180 degrees
• Interior Camera: 180 degrees

Dash Cam 66W:

• Front Camera: 180 degrees

Frame Rate

When it comes to frame rate, the 66W model can support up to double the frame rate, which means that it can capture videos that look smoother than the other two dash cams in this comparison guide.

You can find the supported frame rates for all three products below:

• Dash Cam Mini: Up to 30 FPS
• Dash Cam Tandem: Up to 30 FPS
• Dash Cam 66W: Up to 60 FPS

Clarity HDR

The Tandem and 66W models support Clarity HDR while the Mini model doesn’t. HDR will display more accurate colors.

General Camera Features

When it comes to general features, the Tandem model is the only one to feature interior night vision recording.

The 66W is the only model to come with driver assistance features such as forward collision warnings, lane departure warnings and traffic alerts.

You can find the full list of general camera features for the three products below:

Dash Cam Mini:

• Incident Detection via G-Sensor
• Dash Cam Auto Sync for up to 4 cameras
• Review Footage via Garmin App

Dash Cam Tandem:

• Incident Detection via G-Sensor
• Interior and exterior recording
• Interior night vision
• Dash Cam Auto Sync for up to 4 cameras
• GPS speed and location info in video
• Review Footage via Garmin App
• Voice Control

Dash Cam 66W:

• Incident Detection via G-Sensor
• Dash Cam Auto Sync for up to 4 cameras
• Forward collision warnings
• Garmin Real Vision
• GPS speed and location info in video
• “Go” traffic alert
• Lane departure warnings
• Review Footage via Garmin App
• Voice Control

Compatible Accessories

You can check out the compatible accessories for all three Garmin car dashboard cameras below:

Dash Cam Mini:

• AC Adapter Cable, Europe (010-11478-05)
• Dual Port USB Power Adapter (010-13023-01)
• Polarized Lens Cover (010-12530-18)
• MicroUSB Cable (010-11478-01)
• 4-Meter Vehicle Power Cable(010-12530-01)
• Parking Mode Cable (010-12530-03)
• High-Speed Multi-Charger (010-10723-17)
• Dual USB Power Adapter (010-12530-06)
• Low Profile Adhesive Mount (010-12530-04)

Dash Cam Tandem:

• AC Adapter Cable, Europe (010-11478-05)
• Dual Port USB Power Adapter (010-13023-01)
• MicroUSB Cable (010-11478-01)
• Parking Mode Cable (010-12530-03)
• Dual USB Power Adapter (010-12530-06)
• Low-Profile Magnetic Mount (010-12530-00)
• Mini Suction Cup Mount (010-12530-05)

Dash Cam 66W:

• AC Adapter Cable, Europe (010-11478-05)
• Dual Port USB Power Adapter (010-13023-01)
• MicroUSB Cable (010-11478-01)
• 4-Meter Vehicle Power Cable(010-12530-01)
• Parking Mode Cable (010-12530-03)
• High-Speed Multi-Charger (010-10723-17)
• Dual USB Power Adapter (010-12530-06)
• Low-Profile Magnetic Mount (010-12530-00)
• Mini Suction Cup Mount (010-12530-05)

Operating Temperature Range

The Mini model is less tolerant against hotter temperature ranges when compared to the other two models:

• Dash Cam Mini: -20°C to 60°C (or -4°F to 140°F)
• Dash Cam Tandem: -20°C to 80°C (or -4°F to 176°F)
• Dash Cam 66W: -20°C to 80°C (or -4°F to 176°F)

Resources:

• https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/621281/pn/010-02062-00
• https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/671095/pn/010-02259-00
• https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/661787/pn/010-02231-15